Nominations for the 2016 Fred and Adele Astaire Awards, which honor outstanding dance and choreography on stage and screen, were announced just yesterday at the Friar's Club by New York Post columnist Michael Riedel. For the first time, the Fred and Adele Astaire Awards have explored recognizing excellence in dance, movement, and choreography off-Broadway. Twenty eligible shows in the non-profit and commercial off-Broadway arenas met the eligibility requirements and were considered.

A gala evening celebrating the 2016 season's Award Winners for Outstanding Dance and Choreography on Broadway, off-Broadway, and Film will take place on Monday, May 16, 2016 at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 LaGuardia Place).

Judith Jamison, Artistic Director Emeritus of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will be presented with the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award. Nigel Lythgoe, Executive Producer of "So You Think You Can Dance," will receive the award for Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Dance. Broadway Director, Choreographer and Tony Nominated Actor Maurice Hines, who appeared off- Broadway this season in his show Tappin' Through Life, will be recognized with a special recognition award for Outstanding Body of

Work in Dance. Dr. Joan Fallon, Founder and CEO of Curemark, will be presented with a special achievement award for her work in the field of autism related disorders.

Tickets for the 2016 Fred and Adele Astaire Awards begin at $75 and can be purchased at www.nyuskirball.org/calendar/astaire2016 or by calling (888) 611-8183.